Representative of Taiwan Chen Says Nationís Success Continues Despite Election Foibles by Michael Coleman These are trying times for Taiwanís fledgling democracy. On March 19óthe eve of a national presidential electionóincumbent President Chen Shui-bian narrowly escaped serious injury when an assassinís bullet grazed his abdomen during a campaign appearance. Chen won the election the following day, but his margin of victory was so slim that it is being challenged in court. The presidentís opponents have accused him of staging his own shooting to win sympathy votes, and demonstrators have since clashed with police outside the presidential palace in Taipei. One demonstration in March turned violent and nearly 100 were injured. Chen, a vocal supporter of Taiwanese independence from China, rejects Beijingís "one China" policy, which holds that the island is a breakaway province from the mainland. On a recent visit with Chinese President Hu Jintao, U.S. Vice President Richard Cheney indicated that, despite Chenís narrow re-election victory, the United States would continue to adhere to the "one China" policy. But despite the turmoil, Taiwanís top diploma t in the United States, Chien-Jen Chen, remains optimistic that his country will emerge stronger from the messy ordeal. "The shooting has tested the confidence that our people, regardless of affiliation, place in democracy and the rule of law," Chen said. "It has posed a challenge to our society and also presented an opportunity for it to learn and to grow. "In the long run, people will look at this [contested election] as a very unique but good experience." Chen, called C.J. by friends, is the head of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) in Washington, D.C. The modern, five-story building, bustling with workers on a recent weekday, is located on Wisconsin Avenue, NW, just a few blocks from American University. Taiwan does not have formal diplomatic ties with the United States, so Chen is not afforded the same privilegesósuch as official contact with U.S. State Department leadersóthat other diplomats in the United States take for granted. But the congenial representative has held various diplomatic posts in the United States since 1971 and has many friends in high places in Washington. The unusual diplomatic relations between the United States and Taiwan stem from the tension that has existed between mainland China and Taiwan for more than five decades. Former President Jimmy Carter, not wanting to antagonize powerful China, decided in 1979 to cease diplomatic recognition of Taiwan and formalize relations with China, the worldís most populous nation, instead. Chen called that decision deeply disappointing but said the United States and Taiwan maintain informal relations and that both countries place a high value on their relationship. He noted that the current Bush administration has been particularly friendly toward Taiwan. Chen explained that the two Chinas will never become one, or even productive partners, unless China converts from communism to democracy. Taiwan, a world leader in the production of high-tech goods, will never accept communism for itself, Chen vowed. He said democracy, coupled with sound economic policies, have helped usher in a level of prosperity that the 22 million people living in Taiwan do not want to jeopardize. Taiwanís average per-capita income is $13,000 compared to roughly $1,000 on mainland China, Chen pointed out. Today, Taiwan is a creditor economy that holds one of the worldís largest foreign exchange reserves. The reserve neared $200 billion in late 2003, according to the U.S. State Department. Taiwan currently has the 17th largest economy in the world. The people of Taiwan, emboldened by their successes, seem unwilling to tamper with the tender roots of democracy that are still taking hold in their country. "We have told Beijing we are willing to sit down and dialogue with them on any issues between the two sides, including ëone China,í" Chen said. "But we have no intention of changing our [democratic] status quo. We want to make sure we have better governance and well-being for our people." China on the other hand has rejected offers to hold talks with Taiwan, saying President Chen is "not a man of credibility" and that it is waiting to see the results of the recount process. China and Taiwan, separated by the Taiwan Strait, have been at odds since communists took control of the mainland in 1949 and established the Peopleís Republic of China. Those supporting the Nationalist government at the time fled to Taiwan. Taiwan operated under martial law until 1987. In 1996, the nation conducted its first direct presidential election, and in 2000, Chen, the leader of the opposition party, won the election, paving the way for the first transfer of power under the new democracy. The shooting of President Chen in March and the subsequent election controversy caused a temporary dip in the countryís stock market, but it has since recovered. Chen said the Taiwanese people are highly educated (the nation has more than 150 institutions of higher learning) and understand that a new system of government must be given time to gel. In the March 20 election, Chen defeated his opponent, Nationalist Party candidate Lien Chan, by fewer than 30,000 votes. Chen claimed only a 0.2 percent margin of victory of the 13 million ballots cast. An impressive 80 percent of Taiwanís registered voters went to the polls, an indication of the countryís deep obligation to democracy. "Ours is a young democracy. Itís very vibrant and people are very excited to vote for their candidate," said Representative Chen. However, Chen added that the narrow margin and the assassination attempt fueled skepticism and distrust among opposition party members. "They believe there are irregularities, and they believe the assassination could have swung some of the votes," he said. The Taiwanese government, in an attempt to dispel speculation that the shooting was staged, has hired forensic experts from the United States to analyze the evidence. One of those experts, Henry Lee, is renowned for his work on the O.J. Simpson murder case. Lee announced on April 11 that he could not make a definitive ruling as to whether the shooting had been staged or not, and as of mid-April, no suspects had been announced in the case. Chen acknowledged that opposition party members have a right to question the outcome of the election and the unusual circumstances surrounding it. "Itís tough for any losers [of an election] to accept the outcome without knowing more to explain some of their doubts," he said. Chen also acknowledged similarities between Taiwanís current presidential election controversy and the one that rocked Americaís government in 2000. He said Taiwan, in a sense, is lucky to be experiencing the challenge so early in its democracy. "I think later on we will come to realize this year is also a milestone," Chen explained. "It took 240 years for the Americans to have such a close and contested presidential election. We got to have this experience after only 17 or 18 years." President Chen, meanwhile, expressing confidence that the courts will declare him the victor, said that if a recount were to show he had lost, he would relinquish his post without a struggle. "The president has said if a recount is doneóif he has fewer votesóhe will accept the verdict and that is very important," Chen said. Chen said the dispute must be resolved by six months from the day of the election, which would allow the court to deliberate until September. "Most of the people believe the court will come up with a verdict earlier than that because our inauguration date is May 20," he said. If President Chen were to ultimately be defeated in the courtsóa scenario that most Taiwanese political observers believe is unlikelyóit could mean that Taiwan would send a new diplomat to the United States to replace Chen, a political appointee. That would not necessarily upset the 64-year-old diplomat. A man of varied and passionate interests, Chen said he would practically welcome the change. "I have a lot of interests, and I have been thinking of moving on anyway," Chen said, while adding that he still enjoys his job immensely and feels a duty to serve as long as the president values his contributions. Michael Coleman is a freelance writer in Washington, D.C.